Density calculator
Solve for density, mass, or volume. Result is matched against a reference table of common materials.
Closest reference: Water (~1,000 kg/m³)
The relationship
ρ = m ÷ V — density equals mass divided by volume. Standard SI units are kg/m³, but g/cm³ and g/mL are common in chemistry. We use grams for mass and liters for volume in the inputs (1 L = 1 dm³ = 1000 cm³); the density output is converted to kg/m³ for the final number.
Reference values
Water at 4°C is conveniently close to 1000 kg/m³ — that's how the kilogram was originally defined. Most metals fall in the 2000–20000 kg/m³ range; gases at sea level sit around 1 kg/m³; ice floats on water because it's slightly less dense (917 kg/m³).
Frequently asked questions
How do I calculate the density of an object?
Measure its mass (in grams) and its volume (in litres or cubic centimetres), then divide: ρ = m ÷ V. The result is in kg/m³ when mass is in kg and volume is in m³.
What is the density of water?
Pure water at 4 °C has a density of about 1000 kg/m³ (or 1 g/cm³). The kilogram was originally defined as the mass of one litre of water at this temperature.